10 Facts About BK Cannon You Didn’t Know

1. She was born and raised in Hawaii. She hails from the coastal town of Kailua, just 12 miles north of Honolulu on the island of Oahu. She started acting in local school and community projects. And she moved to Los Angeles in 2008 to pursue acting.

2. She attended Mount St. Mary’s College. The independent, Catholic, liberal arts college located in Los Angeles, is primarily for women only. Cannon previously studied at Le Jardin Academy and Mid-Pacific Institute, both located in Hawaii.

3. Many of her presentations are still available for public viewing. The presentation site Prezi allows users to post and share their presentations. Cannon has several projects still lingering on the site, covering topics including how the media feeds the phenomena of eating disorders.

4. She’s active on many other types of social media, still clinging to a Myspace page and surprisingly sporting a Google+ account. From Facebook to Twitter and Pintrest, Cannon has a strong web presence. And her Etsy page displays a complex set of interests from video games, to antiques, crafts and more.

5. When she was 15, she was featured in a story for the Honolulu Star-Bulletin with the headline, “Isle girls outpace boys in many school subjects.” Cannon was interviewed about the subject. She discussed how her grandmother’s generation had different values and impressions of womanhood compared to what Cannon thought appropriate, saying of the difference, “That’s mind-boggling.” She went on to explain how she sees the gender dynamic in her class, “The girls are much more vocal about their ideas. The boys are just sitting there thinking, ‘When’s lunch?’”

6. She attended the Outfest Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival and Outfest Fusion Achievement Awards in March, 2014, at the Egyptian theater in Hollywood. She strutted the red carpet in a simple ensemble that matched dignity with an easy-going attitude and a bright smile.

7. In addition to her roles on Switched at Birth and Flight 29 Down, Cannon has made numerous guest appearances on hit shows like House M.D., Grey’s Anatomy, Law & Order: LA, Glee, The Mindy Project, ER, and many more. She’s also appeared in films including Mall, We the Party, and The Inner Circle.

8. She appeared as herself on Backseat Driving, a talk show taking place in the backseat of the host’s car. The pair discuss everything from animal crackers to greek gods. Cannon nearly chokes on a grape. Then she sings and engages in random improv. Though a little chaotic, the episode shows a natural and unfiltered look at the actress—who may or may not have actually stolen props from the set.

9. In 2013, Cannon auctioned off the opportunity for a group of lucky fans to connect with her via Skype or in person within the Los Angeles area. The event raised money for NORMAL in Schools, a New York charity that raises awareness of mental health, eating disorders, body image, and stress-management through art. The winner of the auction also received signed pictures of Cannon.

10. In 2010, Cannon sparked some controversy when she appeared in a commercial for the M-rated video game Call of Duty:Black Ops in which she appeared to blow open a door with a shotgun. Many critics said she seemed too young to be playing such a violent game. But the actress was within the game designers’ target demographics.